Slitting mill with adjustable arbors



April 19, 1955 R. w. HALL 2,706,524

SLITTING MILL WITH ADJUSTABLE ARBORS Filed April 6, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. RALPH W HALL April 19, 1955 w, HALL SLITTING MILL WITH ADJUSTABLE ARBORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 6, 1951 rflli l- INVENTOR RALPH W HALL J Ag s.

April 19, 1955 w HALL SLITTING MILL WITH ADJUSTABLE ARBORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 6, 1951 IN VEN TOR.

RALPH W HALL April 19, 1955 R. w. HALL 2,706,524

SLITTING MILL WITH ADJUSTABLE ARBORS Filed April 6, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent SLITTING MILL WITH ADJUSTABLE ARBORS Ralph W. Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Randall Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 6, 1951, Serial No. 219,683

1 Claim. (Cl. 164-65) This invention relates to a slitting mill for slitting sheet metal as it is uncoiled from a coil into ribbons or strips of predetermined width. More particularly, this invention relates to a means for mounting and adjusting the cutter arbors of a slitting mill.

An object of this invention is to provide a slitting mill in which the bearings at the ends of the arbors are supported by lever arms that are pivotally supported by arbor housings.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for turning the arbor bearing support arms towards or away from each other in unison.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cutter arbor mounting that is so constructed that the line of action between the cutters on the arbors remains at a constant or fixed elevation with respect to the bed of the mill even though the arbors are adjusted toward and away from each other.

A further object of this invention is to provide a slitting mill in which the cutter arbors are supported in cantilever bearings at one side of the mill and removable sleeve bearings at the other side of the mill, the cantilever bearings supporting the arbors in parallel relation to each other and in alignment with the removable sleeve bearings when the latter have been removed from the free ends of the arbors.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mill as above stated having means for vertically adjusting the cantilever bearings in unison, and for vertically adjusting the sleeve bearings in unison.

A further object of this invention is to provide cantilever bearings for the arbors which cantilever bearings prevent end play of the arbors.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will in part be apparent and will in part be obvious from the following detailed description and the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic view in side elevation showing a slitting line which includes a slitting mill constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the entering or input side of the mill with the entry table thereof removed, the arbors being shown supported at one end by cantilever bearings;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in side elevation, partly broken away and in section, of one of the arbor neck housings of the mill;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in front elevation, partly broken away and in section, of the housing and the arbor bearing arms shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in section showing bearings in the opposite housing of the mill showing the bearing arrangement by means of which the arbors may be supported as cantilevers when the opposite ends are unsupported; and

Fig. 6 is a view in section taken along a line VIVI in Fig. 3.

In the following detailed description, and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In Fig. 1, a slitting mill 10 is shown. The slitting mill is provided with cutter arbors 12 and 13 and is designed to slit a relatively wide strip of sheet metal 14 into a plurality of narrow strips as the sheet is unwound from a coil 15 on an uncoiler 16. The strips leaving the exit or output side of the mill are coiled into separate coils on a recoiler 17.

2,706,524 Patented Apr. 19, 1955 The ends of the cutter arbors are journalled in bearings mounted in pivotally supported bearing arms 18, 19, 20, and 21 (Figs. 2 and 5). Arms 18 and 19 are mounted in a column or housing 22 (Figs. 2 and 3) and are shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. Housing 22 is movable on the bed of the machine towards or from the ends of the arbors as shown by Figs. 2, 4 and 6. As shown, the ends or necks of the cutter arbors project through windows 23a and 23b (Figs. 3 and 4) in the walls of the housing 22 and through windows 23c and 23d in the walls of housing 23. Arms 20 and 21 are mounted in a stationary housing 23 (Figs. 2 and 5). As shown in Fig. 3, one end of the upper cutter arbor 12 is journalled in bearing arm 18 and the other end (see Fig. 2) is journalled in bearing arm 20 (Fig. 5).

The ends of the lower cutter arbor 13 are similarly journalled in bearing arms 19 (Fig. 3) and 21 (Figs. 2 and 5). As shown in Fig. 3, bearing arms 18 and 19 are pivotally mounted on pivots 24 and 25 respectively upon which the arms can swing together with the arbors. Arms 20 and 21 are mounted on similar pivots 26, only one of which is shown, so that both ends of each arbor can be swung up or down. Free ends of arms 18 and 19 are connected by a screw 27. Screw 27 is divided into two sections 27a and 27b having right and left hand threads respectively. Section 27a of the screw is threaded to a swinging lug or traveling nut 28 and section 271) is threaded to a swinging lug or traveling nut 29. Nuts 28 and 29 are linked to the free ends of arms 18 and 19 respectively. Free ends of the arms in the stationary housing (Fig. 2) are connected together in a similar manner by a screw 31. When the screws are turned, the ends of the cutter arbors are moved toward each other or away from each other in unison. The screws are connected together by a shaft 32. Shaft 32 is made up of two sections 3201 and 32b which are keyed together and telescope when the movable housing is moved. Section 32a carries a worm 33 in mesh with a worm wheel 34. Worm wheel 34 is keyed to screw 27 so that screw 27 turns when shaft 32 is turned. Screw 31 (Fig. 2) is similarly geared to section 32b of the shaft through a worm wheel 36 and worm (not shown). The bearing arms and screws are so constructed that when shaft 32 is turned, the cutter arbors are moved toward or away from each other in unison and the axes of the arbors remain horizontal as they are moved. The arbors move to ward or away from each other at equal rates so that the elevation of the mid-line between the axes of the arbors, at which the cutters engage the metal strip, remains at a constant elevation.

The device which has been described in general terms to this point will now be described in greater detail.

As shown in Fig. 2, housing 22 can be moved away from the ends of the cutter arbors. When housing 22 is moved away, the arbors are supported cantileverfashion by the bearings in the stationary housing. Details of these bearings are shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 5, details of only one of the pivots 26 are shown because both pivots are similar in construction. In addition, the bearings which support lower cutter arbor 13 are shown in detail in Fig. 5. Details of the bearings which support upper arbor 12 have been omitted because similar in construction to the bearings of cutter arbor 13. The pivots and bearings are constructed to support the arbors cantilever fashion, asshown in Fig. 2, without sagging when the movable housing is moved away from the arbors and also are constructed to prevent end movement or play of the cutter arbors.

Pivot 26 is a roll rotatably mounted in the walls of housing 23. Ends of pivot roll 26 are journalled in bearings 37 in the walls of housing 23. The central portion of pivot roll 26 forms an elongated journal on which bearing arm 20 turns. Arm 20 is held in place on the pivot roll by thrust bearings 38. The bearings 38 bear against the sides of arm 20 to prevent movement of arm 20 along its journal.

Arms 29 and 21 are similar in construction. Arm 20 supports one end of cutter arbor 12 (Fig 2) while arm 21 supports one end of cutter arbor 13. Details of the bearings in arm 21, which support arbor 13, are shown in Fig. 5. Arbor 13 is provided with a neck 40 that extends inside an opening 41 in arm 21. At one end of neck 40 is a shoulder 42. At the other end of neck 40, a nut 43 is mounted on and threaded to the neck. The neck is supported by radial and thrust bearings 44 and 45 and by a radial bearing 46. The inner race of bearing 46 is engaged by shoulder 42 while the inner race of bearing 45 engages nut 43. Bearings 44 and 45 are mounted back to back at one end of the neck. Bearing 46 is mounted at the other end of the neck. The inner race of bearing 46 is spaced from the inner race of bearing 44 by a spacer sleeve 47 and an annulus 47 so that the inner races of the bearings are held firmly on neck 40 against movement axially of arbor 13. Outer races of the bearings are held by annular bearing retainer members 48, 49, 50, and 51. Members 48 and 49 are attached to one side of housing 21 and support the outer race of radial bearing 46. Members 50 and 51 are attached to the other side of housing 21 and support the outer races of bearings 44 and 45. Bearings 44 and 45 are of a preloaded type which prevent end play of arbor 13 with respect to housing 21. Radial bearing 46 is spaced from bearings 44- and 45 and cooperates therewith to hold cutter arbor 13 horizontal and prevent it swinging out of position even when the other end of the arbor is released.

The bearings and pivots in the movable housing are generally similar in construction to those of the stationary column but are somewhat simpler because the bearings and pivots in the movable housing do not have to support the cutter arbors cantilever-fashion as do those in the stationary housing. Pivots 24 and 25 have not been shown in detail as they are of substantially the same construction as pivots 26 with the exception that the pivots 24 and 25 are of shorter length. Pivot 25 supports bearing arm 19. Details of bearing arm 19 and of the bearing therein are shown in Figs. 3 and 6. It is to be understood that bearing arm 18 and the bearing therein (not shown in detail) are similar in construction to bearing arm 19.

Arm 19 contains a radial bearing 56 which is held in place therein by annular bearing retainers 57 and 58. A sleeve 59 turns inside bearing 56. Sleeve 59 is retained inside arm 19 by cooperating annular shoulders 61 and 62 on sleeve 59 and retainer 58 respectively. The sleeve is slideable lengthwise of the end or neck of the arbor 13. When the slitting mill is in operation, sleeve 59 engages a cutter retainer sleeve 63, which is mounted on arbor 13. Sleeve 63 in turn engages a spacer 64 which holds annular knives 66 and spacers 67 in place on the arbor. Sleeve 59 is held against sleeve 63 by a nut 68 threaded on the end of the arbor. When movable housing 22 is to be moved away from the ends of the arbors, nut 68 and a similar nut 69 (Fig. 3) on the end of arbor 12 are removed, and then housing 22 can be moved back away from the ends of the arbors together with bearing arms 18 and 19 and the bearings thereinside from the position shown in dot-dash lines at 220 in Fig. 2 to the position shown in full lines. When housing 22 is in this position, sleeve 63 can be removed to permit removal and changing of knives 66 and spacers 67.

Housing 22 is moved by means of a screw 70 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) threaded thereto. The housing is mounted on ways on a base or bed 70 so that when screw 70 is turned, the housing is moved axially of the cutter arbors.

The cutter arbors are moved toward and away from each other when shaft 32 is turned, as has been pointed out above. Shaft 32 carries a hand wheel 71 (Fig. 3) by means of which the shaft is turned. When hand wheel 71 and shaft 32 are turned, screws 27 and 31 turn in unison. Both screws are of similar construction, and only the screw 27 has been shown in detail. Screw 27 and the connections between screw 27 and bearing arms 18 and 19 are shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The upper portion 27a of screw 27 is threaded to traveling nut 28, as already pointed out, and also is threaded to a back lash controlling member 72. Member 72 is mounted on studs 73 and can be drawn toward nut 28 to eliminate back lash and compensate for any looseness of the threads.

Nut 28 includes an insert 23a (Fig. 4) to which the screw is threaded and a pivot member 28b. Insert 28a and member 2812 are held together by screws 74, only one of which is shown. Member 28b includes oppositely extending projections or trunnions 75 and 76. Trunnions 75 and 76 are pivotally mounted in links 77 and 78 respectively. Links 77 and 78 connect the trunnions to the free end of bearing arm 18 so that when screw 27 is turned to raise or lower nut 28, the free end of arm 18 is raised or lowered therewith.

The upper and lower sections of screw 27 are connected by an adjusting clamp 79. Clamp 79 can be loosened to permit individual adjustment of the upper and lower sections of the screw. When the sections are in proper adjustment, clamp 79 is tightened, and during normal operation of the slitting mill, the sections of screw 27 turn together.

The lower section 27b of screw 27 is connected to bearing arm 19 by means of lug 29 and links 81 and 82 which function in the same manner as the lugs and links already described.

Upper and lower ends of screw 27 are supported by thrust bearings 83 and 84 respectively (see Fig. 3). Bearing 83 is mounted in the top wall of housing 22, and bearing 84 is mounted in the bottom wall thereof.

The screws and bearing arms are so constructed that when hand wheel 71 is turned, both arbors are moved toward or away from each other at the same speed and the arbors remain horizontal'as they are moved. In each bearing arm, the distance from the main pivot to the center of the arbor is the same, and similarly the distance from main pivot to link pivot is the same for all bearing arms. Further, all threads are of equal pitch and the screws are turned at equal rates when handwheel 71 and shaft 32 are turned so that all lugs are moved at equal speeds, and the bearing arms swing together or away from each other in unison and at equal speeds. Thus, the elevation of the line of action between the cutters, which lies mid-way between the axes of the arbors, remains at a constant elevation and the strip can be fed to the cutters at this level without need for adjustment when the cutter arbors are adjusted.

The arbor support described above and illustrated in the drawings is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A mill for slitting a continuous sheet of metal into strips as the sheet is fed thereto from an uncoiler, said mill having spaced housings and slitting arbors supported thereby, one of said housings being stationary and the other being provided with means for moving the same to or from arbor-supporting position, said housings having windows in the sides thereof for the necks of the arbors, the arbors being disposed one above the other, and having the necks at the ends thereof extending into said housing windows, bearing arms in each housing for each arbor neck, the bearing arms in the stationary housing being each provided with a relatively long sleeve bearing, and means for securing the neck of each arbor against lengthwise move ment in its bearing arm sleeve, thereby providing a cantilever support in said bearing sleeves for said arbors when the bearing arms in the movable housing are disengaged from the necks at the opposite ends of the arbors, the bearings in the bearing arms in the movable housing being sleeves which provide for sliding of said bearing arms on or off of the arbor necks associated with said movable housing as the housing is moved to or from arbor-supporting position, means for pivotally supporting one end of each bearing arm from its associated housing, all of said bearing arm pivotal supporting means being on the same side of a vertical plane containing said arbor necks, a vertically extending screw in each housing adjacent the free ends of the bearing arms, spaced threaded nuts on each of said screws, one for each bearing arm in a housing, links pivotally connecting each of said nuts to its associated bearing arm, and means for operating said screws in unison to shift said bearing arms and said arbors towards or away from each other, said means comprising a pair of telescopically connected members spanning the housings, gear means connecting each of said telescopically connected members to one of the screws to turn therewith, key means between said members to cause said members to turn together, and means for turning said members to turn the screws and shift both ends of each arbor in unison.

(References on following page) 5 References Cited'in the file of this patent 1,938,365 1,997,068 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,210,018 671,915 Curtis Apr. 9, 1901 1,281,461 Wills Oct. 15, 1918 1,458,428 Mallberg June 12, 1923 191,215

6 Anderson Dec. 5, 1933 More Apr. 9, 1935 Yoder Aug. 6, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland June 15, 1937 

